The good old days of cheap AR’s are now.

[dbarale]

We all wish we had bought more SKS, S&W M10, Mosin Nagant, when they were dirt cheap. Well, these are the days for AR’s. I was looking around and found this:

BC-15 | 5.56 NATO Rifle | 16” Parkerized M4 Barrel | 1:8 Twist | Carbine Length Gas System | 15” MLOK | No Magazine

This high quality Bear Creek Arsenal AR-15 16" 5.56 Nato Complete Rifle features our new handguard and was made for supreme accuracy and performance.

www.bearcreekarsenal.com

And, yes, it’s BCA, but $362 shipped for a complete rifle with MLOK handguard and 1/8 barrel is just crazy. At that point it’s not even worth buying poverty pony lowers to assemble piles of leftover parts.

 

[Ṡalinnis]

I agree that's a pants on head price for turn key, but for those who genuinely enjoy assembling/diy, it's definitely more worth it to piece together and install.

Using sites like ar15discounts.com/psa/bereli, and watching sales/daily deals, you can land yourself all the parts to lay out an assembly line for right in that $300 margin. I understand we're talking a hand full of dollars at the end of it, maybe brand stampings also a viable case to be made.

But with stipped lowers and spare parts, it's mostly about the diy than it is penny pinching.

 

[NCLivingBrit]

Now is the time to build the weird, dumb stuff that's cooking in your noodle.

Even if it didn't come out as you planned, the parts can go to something else.

 

[P01135809]

When I look at their site there are like 3-4 models in the same caliber with prices that are +\- $200 and I can’t tell what’s different.

I’m AR-gnorant. Anyone help decide?

Are the ones built by us citizens more expensive 😂?

7.62x39 AR-15 Rifles - Enhanced Firing Pins | Bear Creek Arsenal

BCA 7.62 AR rifles are equipped with enhanced firing pins and improved extractors for increased reliability with steel case ammo. Shop & Save Today!

www.bearcreekarsenal.com

 

[Jeppo]

Coupon code Buck (as in Clay and) earns another 10% discount.

 

[Ṡalinnis]

When I look at their site there are like 3-4 models in the same caliber with prices that are +\- $200 and I can’t tell what’s different.

I’m AR-gnorant. Anyone help decide?

Are the ones built by us citizens more expensive 😂?

7.62x39 AR-15 Rifles - Enhanced Firing Pins | Bear Creek Arsenal

BCA 7.62 AR rifles are equipped with enhanced firing pins and improved extractors for increased reliability with steel case ammo. Shop & Save Today!

www.bearcreekarsenal.com

Yes, at bca it Mostly depends on which was built by Jorge and which was built by George.

Funny enough, Jorge assemblies them to spec, and George is know to leave barrel nuts loose while he assembles the upper from the smoking area.

 

[Supermatch]

When I look at their site there are like 3-4 models in the same caliber with prices that are +\- $200 and I can’t tell what’s different.

I’m AR-gnorant. Anyone help decide?

Are the ones built by us citizens more expensive 😂?

7.62x39 AR-15 Rifles - Enhanced Firing Pins | Bear Creek Arsenal

BCA 7.62 AR rifles are equipped with enhanced firing pins and improved extractors for increased reliability with steel case ammo. Shop & Save Today!

www.bearcreekarsenal.com

BCA differences are usually all in the uppers. Parkerized vs nitride for carbon steel barrels, barrel profile (heavy vs. whatever vs. fluted, etc.), carbon steel vs. SS for the barrel, straight pull vs. side charging, billet upper vs. forged upper.

 

[NCLivingBrit]

When I look at their site there are like 3-4 models in the same caliber with prices that are +\- $200 and I can’t tell what’s different.

I’m AR-gnorant. Anyone help decide?

Are the ones built by us citizens more expensive 😂?

7.62x39 AR-15 Rifles - Enhanced Firing Pins | Bear Creek Arsenal

BCA 7.62 AR rifles are equipped with enhanced firing pins and improved extractors for increased reliability with steel case ammo. Shop & Save Today!

www.bearcreekarsenal.com

Some are probably side charge compared to rear charge.

 

[Snoopz]

We all wish we had bought more SKS, S&W M10, Mosin Nagant, when they were dirt cheap. Well, these are the days for AR’s. I was looking around and found this:

BC-15 | 5.56 NATO Rifle | 16” Parkerized M4 Barrel | 1:8 Twist | Carbine Length Gas System | 15” MLOK | No Magazine

This high quality Bear Creek Arsenal AR-15 16" 5.56 Nato Complete Rifle features our new handguard and was made for supreme accuracy and performance.

www.bearcreekarsenal.com

And, yes, it’s BCA, but $362 shipped for a complete rifle with MLOK handguard and 1/8 barrel is just crazy. At that point it’s not even worth buying poverty pony lowers to assemble piles of leftover parts.

Close but no cigar to the late 70's Colts just saying, its a decent price though.


I'm sure there are plenty that have lowers just laying around for builds. Or for assembly..

-Snoopz

 

[Hashknife]

AR manufacturing is sort of a race to the bottom for those in manufacturing. The $$ is in high volume, low profit margin sales.
Everyone is making AR's and AR parts these days. This is good for the retail consumer with many low cost options on the market. Now is the time to buy and stock your spare parts bin.

 

[dbarale]

I think what I really like about this current pricing is that you can get a good quality AR for less than $1000. That same quality a few years ago would have cost you at least twice as much.

 

[Variable]

Close but no cigar to the late 70's Colts just saying, its a decent price though.


I'm sure there are plenty that have lowers just laying around for builds. Or for assembly..

-Snoopz

Are you saying 70's era Colts are better than what we have now?

 

[Slimer]

Bien, pero prefiero PSA para AR-15 baratos.

 

[dbarale]

Are you saying 70's era Colts are better than what we have now?

I don’t know about 70’s era when they were new. The ones I have seen had a bazillion rounds through them and rattled like crazy.
The 90’s era ones were not up to current PSA levels. There, I said it.

 

[NCLivingBrit]

I don’t know about 70’s era when they were new. The ones I have seen had a bazillion rounds through them and rattled like crazy.
The 90’s era ones were not up to current PSA levels. There, I said it.

Colt has often found their laurels to be very, very comfy

 

[NCFubar]

I’m guessing they’ve got bin after bin (after bin …) of all sorts of parts sitting. That’s money gathering dust and not working for the business. So they decide what they can sell it for to move old inventory and free up capital from just sitting around … breaking even or even losing a few bucks to free up cash and clear clutter is actually not a bad idea considering the level of the AR market saturation.

 

[mostly22lately]

AR manufacturing is sort of a race to the bottom for those in manufacturing. The $$ is in high volume, low profit margin sales.
Everyone is making AR's and AR parts these days. This is good for the retail consumer with many low cost options on the market. Now is the time to buy and stock your spare parts bin.

This is probably why I saw the 'building for sale' sign at Barnes Precision Machine in Apex when I drove by a couple days ago.

 

[Hashknife]

This is probably why I saw the 'building for sale' sign at Barnes Precision Machine in Apex when I drove by a couple days ago.

That building has been on the market for over a year.

 

[NCFubar]

This is probably why I saw the 'building for sale' sign at Barnes Precision Machine in Apex when I drove by a couple days ago.

Not sure about ownership but BPM only occupies part of it …

 

[Hashknife]

Not sure about ownership but BPM only occupies part of it …

I believe different sections of the building are owned by different owners.

The BPM end of the building has been on the market for over a year.

Crexi.com

Photos, maps, description for commercial real estate

www.crexi.com

The unit on the opposite end of the building is also for sale. Not sure how long its been on the market.

Office Space for Sale Near Raleigh NC

Office space for sale near Raleigh NC - Flex space condo unit adjacent to Jordan Lake! Ideal for light assembly, manufacturing, or professional office.

pickettsprouse.com

 

[Snoopz]

Are you saying 70's era Colts are better than what we have now?

Break your question down, compared to Colts now? Same configuration? Would have to say ..yes.
There are so many clones on the market right now, just about everyone sells a version or one kind.
Now when you get into custom ones..no
Same configuration that would be once again a yes..

Just a thought..

-Snoopz

 

[Button Pusher]

Got a nice BCA AR-10 for half what others are charging few months ago.

 

[Exspiravit]

Shame rifles are cheap and ammo for them keeps going up.

 

[NCFubar]

Shame rifles are cheap and ammo for them keeps going up.

Kinda backdoor gun control …

Quite a few gooberment agencies have stockpiled and contracted for a good portion of ammunition. Importation of budget friendly surplus has been all but cut off also via one channel or other. Then Biden’s economic fiasco hasn’t helped any market.

 

[Ṡalinnis]

It's also a double sided coin, personally I'm not a hoarder, so having 10+ of the same rifle with different quirks would drive me insane.

So I completely get why my elders didn't have 30+ sks/garbage rods from Rose's tucked away. I doubt my kids will want to inherit 30+ bca/psa/radical etc rifles with "yeahbut" differences. Maybe I'm just not a savvy investor, but also don't have my ffl, so I'm not aloud to pull a profit anyways 😜

 

[S&Wtinkerer]

I don’t know about 70’s era when they were new. The ones I have seen had a bazillion rounds through them and rattled like crazy.
The 90’s era ones were not up to current PSA levels. There, I said it.

I have been issued and handled many outright abused rifles. Poor FN M16A2s that are just limping along before being shipped off to their final resting place (as foreign aid to some country).

Colt SP-1s were the standard for a long time. I remember when Inwas looking for my first AR, and expression I heard was ABC, Armalite, Bushmaster, Colt.

Now I can get a sub 3 moa rifle from palmetto for $450, a $300 NV compatible Holosun that automatically adjusts its brightness while charging with a solar panel, and a 1000 lumen weapon light. We do live in some good times as far as ARs are considered.

PSA is doing the lord’s work.

 

[BlueGecko]

A much better rifle for $20 more

Anderson am15

KYGUNCO

KY Gun Co is your one-stop online shop with the lowest prices for firearms, ammunition, accessories, parts, and outdoor essentials. We ship fast and easy around the country from our home locations in Kentucky, and are always ready to help.

www.kygunco.com

Cons, you're not supporting a NC company, +$20
Pros, it's made in America, not by illegals

You could probably build your own with the better materials if you wait for sales for $300 BUT the people buying sub 4 hundy rifles don't know or care.

 

[BigWaylon]

It's also a double sided coin, personally I'm not a hoarder, so having 10+ of the same rifle with different quirks would drive me insane.

So I completely get why my elders didn't have 30+ sks/garbage rods from Rose's tucked away. I doubt my kids will want to inherit 30+ bca/psa/radical etc rifles with "yeahbut" differences. Maybe I'm just not a savvy investor, but also don't have my ffl, so I'm not aloud to pull a profit anyways 😜

Just curious about your take on something…

What does or does not fall into the “yeahbut” differences category?

Are you talking just furniture, accessories, and/or optics? Or do you also include caliber and barrel length?

 

[Ṡalinnis]

Just curious about your take on something…

What does or does not fall into the “yeahbut” differences category?

Are you talking just furniture, accessories, and/or optics? Or do you also include caliber and barrel length?

100% just repeating the same caliber / same length - diffrent attachments, or no differences at all.(eg. Yeahbut, this one is a 16" Aero M4E1 and this one is a 16" PSA!)

Even just a caliber change, cloned exactly to another rifle that functions best for the user, makes sense in my head. I'm probably not organized enough to be comfortable with that for me, so there's huge visual differences between, say, my 16" 300blk and 16" 5.56.

I absolutely don't and won't shame anyone who has a load out of repeats, i wish i could, and someone should. But I'd loose my mind looking at the same inexpensive carbines separated only by a diffrent red dot/scope/vfg/pistol grip/stock for multiples lol.

 

[Stogies]

Yeah I posted about this before 400$ ARs are a dime a dozen right now but 400$ AKs are a ghosts of the past.

 

[73Chall]

…And, yes, it’s BCA, but $362 shipped for a complete rifle with MLOK handguard and 1/8 barrel is just crazy. …

Indeed …

I’m relieved $oro$ is just buying young, silly-putty-minded college-communists’ only pup tents, flags and throwing rocks …!

 

[BlueGecko]

An even better deal: delton echo $344

DEL-TON Echo 316L 5.56 Nato AR-15 16" 30rd

The Echo 316L Optic Ready has a 16" light weight melonite barrel with a low profile gas block, 1x9 twist, MilSpec M4 stock, CAR handguards with single heat shields, and A2 flash hider. The Echo 316L Optic Ready comes with 1x 30rd magazine and a CA approved Gun Lock.

www.preppergunshop.com

 

[Dale Gribble]

I absolutely don't and won't shame anyone who has a load out of repeats, i wish i could, and someone should. But I'd loose my mind looking at the same inexpensive carbines separated only by a diffrent red dot/scope/vfg/pistol grip/stock for multiples lol.

For me and mine, it’s about keeping it simple.

I have 3 other folks in the house. All the rigs I have are chambered for 5.56x45 and are pretty much set up the same way. All are DI, as opposed to piston. All the spare parts I have will work in any of them. The 10ish setups are all the same, with the exception of one having a different optic. The 14.5 rigs are all the same.

I have nothing against other Stoner-platform weapons chambered for different cartridges or those with a piston vs direct impingement, but keeping things the same across the board has its advantages…maintenance, familiarity/use, ammunition and/or reloading components, magazines, etc.

 

[Variable]

Break your question down, compared to Colts now? Same configuration? Would have to say ..yes.
There are so many clones on the market right now, just about everyone sells a version or one kind.
Now when you get into custom ones..no
Same configuration that would be once again a yes..

Just a thought..

-Snoopz

I wouldn't think anyone believes that. Not sure what proof you have of the claim. The rifles being produced now are far better in every way to the ones produced in the 70's. Better metallurgy, better manufacturing, better ergonomics and better customization and more reliable. The AR15 has decades of incremental improvements. Colt was the best for a period of time. They are no longer.

V

 

[Ṡalinnis]

For me and mine, it’s about keeping it simple.

I have 3 other folks in the house. All the rigs I have are chambered for 5.56x45 and are pretty much set up the same way. All are DI, as opposed to piston. All the spare parts I have will work in any of them. The 10ish setups are all the same, with the exception of one having a different optic. The 14.5 rigs are all the same.

I have nothing against other Stoner-platform weapons chambered for different cartridges or those with a piston vs direct impingement, but keeping things the same across the board has its advantages…maintenance, familiarity/use, ammunition and/or reloading components, magazines, etc.

Irrefutable logic there, and serves the purpose for the long game. Exactly why I'd never say nay to people who have the ability to stock in that capacity.

I suffer from a condition that makes me do mental gymnastics to justify keeping anything around that doesn't have a direct purpose that i can put on paper. Fortunately, I've been able to sort what works for the adults in the house to have both me and wife squared away, but it did not come without the trial and error. And more trial and error to come as the youglings come of age.

One thing I do have an excess of is spare parts. I feel like I find parts I didn't even know I had when I do a clean of the work bench lol.

 

[Snoopz]

I wouldn't think anyone believes that. Not sure what proof you have of the claim. The rifles being produced now are far better in every way to the ones produced in the 70's. Better metallurgy, better manufacturing, better ergonomics and better customization and more reliable. The AR15 has decades of incremental improvements. Colt was the best for a period of time. They are no longer.

V

Maybe so...but let's look at workmanship is what I'm talking about. You've covered everything but workmanship. Take some of the old Smiths, Colts, or Kimbers for that matter. But we are talking AR'S here. "Same configuration " dont care about "add-ons, bolt on, side by side .
Anyway you win..no sense in a debate, your right,


-Snoopz